KALISPELL, Mont. — In 2020, Maverick Bench was diagnosed with a rare condition called Aplastic Anemia, in which the body stops producing enough new blood cells. Maverick died at the age of 9 in January 2021. Now, his father is writing a book in his honor.
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“Maverick had so many lessons, so many great things to pass on to everybody, that I’ve learned so many lessons just going back through, and who knew my 9-year-old was going to be teaching his dad lessons," said Logan Bench, Maverick's dad.
An army of supporters rallied behind Maverick as he underwent bone marrow transplants and heavy doses of chemotherapy.
“He actually had over 50,000 followers through Facebook. We were getting messages from across the world,” Logan said.
Since Maverick’s death, Logan has been honoring his son in different ways and decided to write a book called “Maverick’s Journey.”
Logan said writing this book is a way of remembering his son's courageous battle, while inspiring readers to never give up.
“I didn’t want it to be pain on a page. I didn’t want it to be where it’s sad for Maverick, sad for us; it is a sad story, but at the end of each chapter we have a whatever it takes section, and that whatever it takes section takes what we went through during that time frame, what Maverick went through, what Maverick taught us and it teaches you how to actually incorporate that in your own life,” Logan said.
Logan said every penny the book makes goes back into Maverick’s Army Foundation, a nonprofit raising funds for children battling medical hardships.
“If it reaches people that need help, then I did my job. My son's name is out there, and if it helps elevate someone from down here to up here, then I’m really happy,” Logan said.
Logan said on two separate occasions Maverick was one day away from ringing the bell at Denver Children’s Hospital, which means you’re cleared to return home.
He engraved Maverick’s name on a bell that now sits in his front yard.
“I bought him a bell for his birthday, so on any special occasions his brothers and I, anybody, we can come out here and ring that bell in Maverick’s honor,” Logan said.
Logan is holding a book signing for "Maverick's Journey" on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Barnes and Noble in Kalispell.
Maverick's Journey can also be purchased online.
